diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 2002fa63..2f0d57cd 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -171,7 +171,11 @@ build:doc:html:
     - apk add make git
     - git config user.name $GITLAB_USER_NAME
     - git config user.email $GITLAB_USER_EMAIL
-    - VERSION=`git describe --tags`
+    - |
+      VERSION=$(
+        git describe --tags 2> /dev/null || \
+        echo "0.0-$( git log --oneline|wc -l )-$( git describe --tags --always )"
+      )
     - cd doc
     - git fetch origin $DOC_BRANCH
     - git rev-parse --verify $DOC_BRANCH && git branch -D $DOC_BRANCH || echo "No existing local git $DOC_BRANCH branch"
@@ -236,7 +240,11 @@ build:doc:append_additional_versions:
     - apk add git
     - git config user.name $GITLAB_USER_NAME
     - git config user.email $GITLAB_USER_EMAIL
-    - VERSION=`git describe --tags`
+    - |
+      VERSION=$(
+        git describe --tags 2> /dev/null || \
+        echo "0.0-$( git log --oneline|wc -l )-$( git describe --tags --always )"
+      )
     - cd doc
     - git fetch origin $DOC_BRANCH
     - git rev-parse --verify $DOC_BRANCH && git branch -D $DOC_BRANCH || echo "No existing local git $DOC_BRANCH branch"